Random Walt Disney World

Here's a batch of Randos (or are they Leftuggies?), starting with two undated slides (taken from the Skyway) that are probably from 1974 or '75. You can see that the Peoplemover and its track are under construction; that attraction opened on July 1st, 1975. Colorful Skyway gondolas enter and leave the terminal to the right, and of course the Contemporary Hotel dominates the scene. 

A second photo shows a corner of Cinderella Castle, and a sliver of Tomorrowland.

Next is a very nice look at the Fort Wilderness Railroad, circa 1977. As pretty as it looks, this railroad was plagued with issues. From Wikipedia: The railroad officially opened on January 1, 1974, and provided transportation for the resort's various campsites. Due to issues with track maintenance, pedestrian safety, noise concerns, and the low fuel capacity of its steam locomotives, the FWRR closed permanently in February 1980.

And finally, from July 1974 comes this adorable sight - a rubber mask (the Phantom? Mr. Hyde?) with a snake crawling out of an empty eye socket. I assume this was in a Magic Shop in the Magic Kingdom - the Disneyland Magic Shops had monster masks that my brother and I stared at every time we went to the park.
 

I hope you have enjoyed these random views!

I'm still out of town, but I'll be talking to you all very soon.

Scarce Interiors, June 1963

Today let's all wish Sue B. a very happy birthday! She has contributed so much to GDB, not for me, but for all of YOU. She kindly sent me a photo of her at Busch Gardens in Van Nuys (from October, 1967), with a macaw on each arm. I've never held a parrot! A parakeet once pooped on my shoulder though. JEALOUS? I hope that you have a wonderful day, Sue!

Today I have two nice (and rare) interior views of stores on Main Street, from June 12, 1963. Since I have an exact date, it's time to refer to "Jason's Disneyland Almanac"! June 12 was a Wednesday; the park was open from 10:00 until 6:00 (wow, such a short day in JUNE); The temperature ranged from a high of 74º to a low of 56º, and the attendance was 21,172. NOW YOU KNOW.

This first one was taken inside the Market House (no longer sponsored by Swift); Ralph and Florence sit by the checkerboard and pot-bellied stove for a little breather. After all, they've walked half a block so far! In the background (hard to see) it appears as if somebody is listening to the party line on the old-fashioned phone. 

Next we've moved up the street just a bit, and Ralph is relaxing on an upholstered seat inside the "Carefree Corner" which (I believe) was still sponsored by INA Insurance at that point. What are those types or seats called, anyway? I seem to remember that the original brick Smithsonian building in Washington DC had "sofas" just like that. (Doing three seconds of Googling, I found similar examples referred to as "circular banquette settees". You're welcome). Anyway, Ralph's Panama hat has come off; it was only 72º, but maybe the humidity was high? Florence is probably out of frame signing one of the guest books.

FYI, I will be out of town for a few days. There will be new posts for you every day, of course, but I might not be able to respond to comments during those days. I'll talk to you soon!

Two More Randos

Yesterday's Randos were so popular that the world demanded more. I received millions of letters, and even a few telegrams. And one Candygram. 

We'll start with this colorful view of Fantasyland, from a glass-mounted slide. I guesstimate this as being from around 1960, based on some of the other slides that were part of the lot. There's a whole lotta stuff here, from the pastel-hued teacups to the swirly turntable underneath, to the Skyway tickets, and of course the Possum of the Sea Pirate Ship. And that palm tree! 

Next, another undated (1960s) scan; this time we're looking at Adventureland - the entry arch would be just behind us, and the Enchanted Tiki Room is to our left. The Barker Bird is in his blue and yellow plumage overhead, and had Uti for company. 

FYI, I will be out of town for a few days. There will be new posts for you every day, of course, but I might not be able to respond to comments during those days. I'll talk to you soon!

Two Randos

Taylor Swift called me yesterday and requested some Randos. She just loves 'em! How can I say "no" to Tay-tay? 

This first example is from January 1973, it's a pretty photo of the Pirate Ship, though it was no longer sponsored by Chicken of the Sea. Those traitors jumped ship in 1969, and now the eatery was known as Captain Hook's Galley. I miss the mermaid bow figure, I kind of wish they'd kept her and made her a generic mermaid. You know, like the sort that you see all the time.

Next is this oddly-composed photo from February 1965. "Man, the Monorail is great, but check out that blue sky!". Something's going on with the Monorail, that odd-looking yellow device might be the "mule" that could tow Big Red. Or maybe it's something else? I obviously have no idea. If one of you knows, please fill me in!

Tomorrowland, April 1974

Tomorrowland, 1974! Maybe not THE best Tomorrowland, but it was up there. In this first pic we have a family walking past Flight to the Moon; in about a year, the destination would be changed to Mars, because we had all been to the Moon by that point and we hated it. We also see a world-record number of folding chairs, possibly placed to see a famous musical act later in the evening, or maybe to see the Kids of the Kingdom. Hello, red Peoplemover!

Next is a very unusual view taken from what appears to be a blue Peoplemover train, somewhere along the track. But where? I would guess that it must be somewhere near the Tomorrowland Terrace, those arches and spires feel Crump-ish to me. 

18th Anniversary - The Celebration

Happy 18th Anniversary to GDB! And to all Junior Gorillas throughout the Universe! Yes, it's true - 18 years ago, I was inspired by Matterhorn1959's "Stuff From the Park" blog and by The "E" Ticket magazine. Hey, I can share MY vintage Disneyland photos too! How do you do a blog, anyway? You just figure it out, that's how. To be honest, yesterday was the actual anniversary, but I couldn't celebrate the occasion on Mother's Day. So it's really 18 years plus a day.

As always, I would like to thank everybody who has participated in this endeavor - many of you have been with me for a long time; I have a small but loyal following! I've even had the pleasure of meeting some of the Junior Gorillas. 90% of the fun is the discussions, the shared knowledge, and the enthusiasm - it has all helped to keep me going.

ON to today's photos! Let's start with this nice photo of a pretty hostess outside of Casa de Fritos, circa June 1963. She reminds me of the "Cigarette Girls" (like Wilma Slaghoople and Betty McBricker) that used to stroll through old nightclubs such as the Cocoanut Grove - only she is offering golden, delicious Fritos corn chips. Hey, Klondike! 

Next is a photo from July, 1957; the Tomorrowland Spaceman, suited up to protect him from the harsh atmosphere of Anaheim. The silver material of his costume shields him from harmful radiation and cosmic rays. Notice that this variation of the costume features a patch showing the Kaiser Aluminum telescope. The family to the right seems to be very distracted by his feet. Or shoes. Or the baffles on his legs (to keep out moon mice)?

The third scan is from a slide date-stamped "September, 1958"; we have a view of the Autopia as seen from the Skyway queue's stairs. And it's a nice photo all by itself! But the most interesting part...

... is the peek at some of the massive construction going on in Tomorrowland, part of the project that would add the Matterhorn, the Submarine Voyage, and the Monorail to the park. All in one go! I'm wondering if the excavation area is what would eventually become the covered, dark-ride portion of the Submarine Voyage? I'm pretty sure I have later photos taken from the same vantage point, but I couldn't find them after a quick search. 

From "sometime in the 1950s" we get this fun portrait of a family posing with Black Bart. He loves to flirt with the pretty gals - when he's not cheating at cards! He must have just won a big jackpot, he's in such a good mood. In the background is the Casa de Fritos. 

Now it's 1957, and we get this great shot of one of the Stagecoaches. And it's a real beauty, only driven to Carson City by a little old lady on Sundays. We can really admire the elaborately-painted pin striping and curlicues. We can even see the painting of Mission Santa Barbara on the door. 

Next I have this photo of Captain Guy, the buccaneer who used to hold court at the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship. He's about to slice off that man's ear, which seems pretty extreme, but the Cap'n did what he had to do. Notice that the pond where the ship rested has been drained. Did they find lots of spare change?

And finally, I showed this photo of me (probably around 7 years old) to Sue B., and she encouraged me to share it on the blog. Why not now? This is from when my family lived in Huntington Beach, and I believe that this giant slide was in Fountain Valley. Some fun!

That does it for today. I hope you all enjoyed today's special photos. THANKS to everyone for the years of support and friendship!

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day! And I have some stuff for you. GOOD stuff. Pictures of mothers, for instance. DID I BLOW YOUR MIND?

Let's start with two photos shared by our friend Sue B., from October, 1967. She was at the Disneyland Hotel with her folks! Below is Sue's mother, Donna, with the coolest shades ever. She was ready to start her own New Wave/Ska band, a la The Specials! Immediately behind her is standard playground equipment, kids could climb like lizards and hang like monkeys. In the distance is what I assume is one of the old golf courses that were part of the Disneyland Hotel, or maybe the driving range.

From the same visit we see li'l Sue dipping her feet into a swimming pool (maybe she didn't bring a bathing suit on this trip?), while Donna sits nearby. Why, I can practically smell the chlorine, and feel that cool-ish water!

Sue also included two other photos that are also from October, 1967. This time, it's from Universal Studios; a popular photo op was THE STOCKS. Torture and punishment are always good for a laugh. I guess Sue did something pretty serious, because they've tarred her feet. She literally has two right feet! Now we know.

Looks like Donna was involved in the mischief too, and we can see where Sue inherited her foot issue. Luckily after about two minutes they realized that they could easily escape these stocks and enjoy the rest of their day at Universal Studios.

I found this photo of my mom with little old me, only a few months old, and well fed. We're at my grandparent's house in Encino, maybe this is when they first met me (since I was born in the midwest).

GBD friend Ken S sent along this photo with him enjoying meal al fresco with his parents. He has a bittersweet story to accompany this pic: This is the last shot of my folks together.  How lucky I was to have even thought of making a selfie with me included.  This is from late October 2019 just a few months before their unexpected passings, several weeks apart, in early 2020.  I made it a point to travel from Oregon 3-4 times a year to check on them and we were enjoying a pleasant afternoon at the assisted living home in Irvine, California.  I still consider Orange County my home but it's become a more distant place to me now. THANK YOU for sharing this picture, Ken!

Happy Mother's Day to all who qualify!

Vintage People

I don't collect vintage slides as much as I used to (for one thing, they've gotten expensive), but I still have a few boxes of examples that I saved. While I loved to find good pictures of beautiful old cars, or neat city scenes, or airplanes, I do get a kick out of the occasional vintage portrait. The clothes and furnishings are a blast to the past, and sometimes the love (yuck! mushy!) somehow comes through all these years later.

Like this first one, dated "March 1963"! We've seen this charming woman before; her name is Helen, and she seems to be showing off the latest addition to her home.  Is this a liquor cabinet? A radio hidden in rich mahogany? Or maybe even a television set? Maybe she watches a program about a certain manic redhead. Or Ed Sullivan, or the Danny Thomas Show. We'll never know. 

Next is an undated photo of a pensive young girl, probably from the 1950s; she can see dead people. Trust me, it takes a lot out of a person. Bold floral patterns were the fashion of the day (apparently).

And finally, another undated (but probably 1950s) photo of a nice lady happily chatting on the telephone. There's something about the picture that reminds me of my grandmother's house, which had a "phone nook" in the back hall. My mom's old bedroom had wallpaper that looked very much like what is on the wall here. Even the glass doorknobs remind me of my grandma's bedroom. Maybe somebody this woman to wish her a happy birthday!

I hope you have enjoyed today's Vintage People.

Two Beautiful Randos

Randos! You never know what you're gonna get. It could be a picture of a Jungle Cruise hippo, mouth agape. Or it could be a photo of Elvis Presley riding the Matterhorn. Who's to say?? There's no Elvis in either of today's photos (as far as I know), but they are still worth a look.

This first beauty is from June, 1960, a view captured from the Tomorrowland Skyway terminal, giving us a slightly elevated look at the Autopia queue structure. We might even be a tiny bit higher than the 3-car Mach-I Monorail ("Li'l Stubby"). We've startled Screechy, the Richfield Eagle, now flying away from us (egg still clutched in powerful talons). And there's other stuff in the photo too! The color on this one is top tier.

Next - another Skyway view, from May 1968; below us is the Exasperated Tea Party (it wouldn't become "Mad" until 1972), but the main subject is the Fantasyland Theatre. It's air conditioned, yo! But we can't ignore the cute little ticket/information booth to the right, or the semi-covered dining area for the "Fan 1" eatery. Beyond that, the forested hillsides of Frontierland. 

Sure, you could snooze in the Fantasyland Theatre, but you could also watch some classic cartoons. In this case, you get the wonderful "Pecos Bill", from Melody Time (1948), and "Rugged Bear", a 1953 Donald Duck animated short, featuring the second appearance of Humphrey the Bear. That one was nominated for an Academy Award, but it lost to "Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom". 

Randos From the Early 1970s

Here's a random pair of scans from a batch of slides that are from the early 1970s. Starting with this fun view of Snow White and Dopey posing on one of the “Monsanto House of the Future” walkways - known as "Alpine Gardens" after the house was removed. This is an unusual angle, the large building behind Snow White is where "America The Beautiful" was shown.

Many people attempted to take photos inside Pirates of the Caribbean. Those who used a flash were escorted backstage and never heard from again. This photographer did not use a flash (I think), and the results are not perfect, but not bad either. That skeleton has so many doubloons, surely he can spare a few for me?

Knott's Pitchur Gallery

I have a fun trio of photos from the Pitchur Gallery at Knott's Berry Farm! Three fun-loving gals probably went to enjoy a chicken dinner, but the line was long, so they figured they might as well explore the Ghost Town. And why not get a souvenir photo, while they were at it? They all picked the bucking bronc, seen many times here on GDB. I'm pretty sure these are all from the 1940s.

This first woman reminds me of my second-grade teacher, she was very nice. She's sitting sidesaddle,  befitting her demure nature, but she's got a sunny smile, and a playful bow in her hair.

I like the cowboy hat on this gal, I'm going to proclaim that her sister was Ginger Rogers. You can't prove that it wasn't! It is impressive the way she stays on that fierce horse and looks good doing it.

And last, but not least, is this lady, the only one not sitting sidesaddle. After this day, she went on to become the sweetheart of the rodeo, beloved by all.

Mark Twain Details

The photos of the Mark Twain are endless! Or so it seems. But I'm not complaining. Today I have five more taken-for-publicity-purposes photos for you, courtesy of the Mysterious Benefactor. 

That cast member looks tired, because he just finished prying a few more guests aboard the Twain, using a giant crowbar (designed by Bob Gurr). Each guest was required to coat themselves with goose grease so that they could be packed in even more tightly.

This guy looks pretty smug because he does not have crowbar duty on this shift. Or any shift. His hands are uncalloused and baby soft (more goose grease).

"Look Margie, that man fell into the river!". "Should we help him, George?". "No, he's probably one-a them robots I heard about. It's all part of the show". "Land sakes!". 

Somehow this man has secured a seat at the bow of the Mark Twain, and nobody else has joined him. Looking at the far shore, there doesn't appear to be a single guest, which makes me wonder if this photo was taken on a day when the park was closed to the public? He appears to have an arsenal of cameras, perhaps he was one of the official photographers for Disneyland.

And finally, here's a photo that could have been used in a souvenir guidebook, or a Grad Nite brochure. The spotlights illuminating the steamboat look like they were blindingly bright! But it made for a good picture.

 MANY THANKS to the Mysterious Benefactor!

Walking Up Main Street, January 1977

Today I am sharing the second group of scans from a batch of slides from January, 1977. We're still on Main Street, heading north toward Canada. It'll take us weeks, but we'll get to British Columbia eventually. 

Previously, we saw the gentleman with the brown cardigan posing with the Tobacco Store Indian, but their friendship has cooled, and he's moving on. Sad, but that's how life goes sometimes. The man is perusing his complimentary guidebook (formerly sponsored by INA, but they stopped their sponsorship in 1974).  I'm admiring the lilac macrame shawl/sweater (shweater?) with 12-inch fringe. This was before our fringe mines began to run low on that precious resource. 

Here's the cover of the guidebook:

I don't have my INA-style guides handy, but found the following image online, you can see that the photo on the right-hand page is what is visible on the man's guidebook.

We've stepped inside one of the shops along Main Street - but WHICH ONE? I see the word "center" on the window, maybe this was the Kodak Camera Center. Or maybe the Hallmark Communications Center? The Dapper Dans (in their Fruitstripe Gum outfits) are singing for us, whether we like it or not. I didn't know that Keith Moon was in the Dapper Dans (that's him to the left). Notice the organ chimes leaning on the floor. I can almost hear them now. They practically drown out the voices.

Hey! Look at the camera! Our glamorous couple steps onto the castle bridge, officially entering Fantasyland, and losing all diplomatic immunity. Pops is warm after his brisk walk, and the sweater is coming off. Luckily he wore a shirt underneath. THIS time.

SNOOZLES™

I hope you didn't get too dressed up, because it's Snoozle Sunday. If you must know, I am wearing sweatpants and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt. As usual. Let's take a look at our first Snoozle, from September, 1959. I'm guessing our photographer was aboard the Mark Twain and not the Columbia, just look at how the river is all churned up. Tom Sawyer Island is very wild and forested, the sight of Fort Wilderness is a welcome one. On the far shore, the Indian Village appears to be busy. The tip of the big tent in Holidayland can also just be seen, if you look carefully.

Here's one of those cursed slides from April, 1974. The curse made all photos turn out too dark! You know, that old story. We can't blame the curse for the boring nature of this photo, however. Yes, I like the facade of "It's a Small World", but you have to admit that we have seen many better pictures of it. Is that the Motor Boat Cruise dock in the lower right? I will allow half a point for that, but otherwise, this one is a bust.